Combination electrical switch and clutch-actuating mechanism.



E. V. HARTFORD.

' COMBINATION ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND CLUTCH ACTUATING NIECHANISNI.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.9, |7913.

Patented July 20, 1915.

V/ @Ll-m fri i 20 II A L f I L j@ Ya EDWARD v. HARTEQRD, or DEAL, NEWJERsEY. y'

COMBINATION ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND CLUTCH-ACTUATING- MECHANISM.

Specicaton'of Letters Patent.

,Patented July 2o, i915.

Application filed August 9, 1913. Serial No. 783,972.

l ployed for inaugurating the self-actuation of the vehicle engine, thestarter motor being provided with a fly wheel vby means of which kineticenergy is created to augmentV the electromotive force of the startermotor.

` Where a 'starter motor with a flywheel is employed it has beensuggested to interpose a suitable clutch-mechanism between the fly wheeland the reduction gearing (which is operably associated `with the crankshaft of the engine to impart thereto a relative slow crank shaftmovement under the high speed actuation of'the starter motor,) so thatthe starter motor may be energized and thefly wheelcaused to assume highspeedy [before being operably connected with the reduction gearing. p li y It is the purpose ofmy lpresentinvention to providea mechanism whichwill sequentially cause the energization ofthe starter motor and theactuation of the clutch mechanism to couple theforce or power with thework and particularly to insure atime interval in which the startermotor may be speeded up to the required, degree before the 40 clutchmechanism is actuated anda further obj ect of my invention is to causethe clutch mechanism to be suddenlyl and abruptly thrown into -aAcoupling or operative position, so as not to act as a drag or brakeupon the momentum assumed by the' flyv wheel at the time'when itspoweris most needed for the work, as would be thecase if' gradually appliedor operated, whichy would `decrease the efficiency of the starter motor.v l'In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated' one'preferableembodiment of my invention, which I ldisclose by way of'eX- ample only,wishing g it Sto be `understood that I do not restrict myself to thisspecific.

` structural embodiment a's'the same may be departedfrom and still comewithin the spiritvand'scope of my invention as deined in the followingspeciication'and claims.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figf ure 1 is a top plan View incross-section of the switch mechanism incorporating the novel featuresof my invention. Fig. 2 is a similarview showing the triggermechanismabout to operate to effect the sudden application of the clutchmechanism through the operating plunger. Fig. 3 is a sectional viewinside elevation the mechanism being in position shown in Fig.l 1.lk

Within a suitable casing or housing 1 mounted upon abase 2, I provide aninsulating L-shaped supporting member 3, the vertical projecting portionof which supports a stationary electrical contact 4, which consists of apair of jaws between which the movable contact 5is received to close theenergizing circuit ofthe starter motor (not shown).

`The movable contact 5 is of the usual knifeblade type and is pivoted at6 to a base member 7, the latter being provided with the usual form ofbinding nut 8 which clamps and holds the circuit wire'. A screw threadedbolt 9 projecting through perforated ears or supporting projections 10serves as the pivot member for the switch blade 5, suitable binding nuts11, being provided to hold them in position. Mounted upon the bolt 9 andhooked around the switch blade 5 is a f f spring 12, under tension whichnormally causes the switch blade to assume its inoperative position. Thecasing or housing 1 is provided with a slot or aperture\ for thereception of the bell crank arm or lever 13, which is pivotally mountedupon a cylindrical support 15 fastened to a projecting sup-- port 14formed integral with the base member 3, a screw boltlG and nuts 17 and18 serving to hold the parts in position. One arm of the bell crankleverprojects within the casing or housing and' is provided with a yokemember 19 pivotally connected thereto at 20. This yoke is provided witha perforated ear 21, which .receives one end of the yexpansion spring22,the latter being fastened to a yoke 23, which straddles and ispivoted to the switch arm at 24, thus providing y,a yielding connectionbetween-the bell lcrank lever and switch arm. A stop taking the form ofa pin 25, projects from the bottom of the baseV member 3 and serves tolimit the rearward movement of the bell crank lever under the tension ofthe spring 22. At the end 26 of the arm of the bell crank lever ispivoted a cam-shaped member 26 which cooperates with a bent springmember 2T fast to the side of the casing 1, thus forming a triggermechanism which serves to interrupt the movement of the bell crank leveruntil suiicient force has been exerted thereon to overcome the springtension of the spring member 27 whereupon the applied force will causean abrupt or rapid continued movement of thebell crank arm to effect aquick operation of the clutch mechanism, in the manner which willpresently be described.

To the outer end 28 of the bell crank lever is connected an operatingmember which may take the form of a pull wire or cord 29 connected to anintermediate coil spring 30 serving as a yielding` connection for apurpose which will be later explained. Slidably mounted in the casing 1is a plunger 31 provided with a head 32. Tnterposed between the head 32and the casing 1 is an expansion spring 33 normally tending to hold theplunger in its inoperative position. A suitable nut or other stop 34 isprovided at the opposite end of the plunger 31 to limit the inwardmovement thereof.

35 indicates a clutch operating member which is engaged by the slidingplunger 31 to cause the clutch to be operated.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: When a pull is exerted onthe pull wire 29 the bell crank lever is swung and through the springconnection 22 the switch blade 5 is oscillated into engagementv with thejaws of the contact 4. Immediately the current from the storage battery(not shown) passes through the conducting wire 36, knife blade 5,contact 4 and conducting wire 3T tothe starter motor (not shown), thesame being energized thereby. The movement of the bell ycrank lever isinterrupted by the engagement of the camshaped end 26n with the springmember 27. This interruption takes place just as arm 26 of the bellcrank lever is about to engage the head 32 of the plunger 31 causing aninterval of time to lapse before the plunger 31 is thrown intoengagement with the clutch operating member 35. This allows theenergization of the starter motor and rotation of the -fly wheel to highspeed before 'applying the generated force or power to be expended instarting the vehicle engine. The retarding "action of the spring 27 .tothe movement of the bell crank lever by its engagement with the camshaped member 26a necessitates an increased or greater pull to beexerted on the draw wire 29 to overcome the tension of this spring todepress it in order to permit the `cam 26a to pass. The cam 26a rides upthe incline surface 26C and then the arm 26 engages the head 32 of theplunger 31; continued movement causes the plunger 31 to slide outwardlyinto engagement with the clutch operating member 35, which it engages tothrow the clutch into its operative position. As soon as the pull on thedraw wire 29 is released the bell crank is caused to assume its inactiveor initial position under the tension of the springs 12 and 22. The cam26n swings on its pivot 20 in order that it might pass the engaging endof the spring 27 when it returns to the normalv inoperative position asshown in Fig. 1.

The draw wire 29 may be actuated either by hand or by foot as desired.However operated there will be required two degrees of power or force tocompletely operate the mechanism. The applied power on the draw wire 29causes the closing of the switch contacts e and 5 and the energizing ofthe starter motor then owing to the retardative action of the spring 27when engaging cam 26L an increase of power is required to overcome thetension of the spring so that the arm 26 may move the plunger 31 intoengagement with the clutch operating mem ber 35. It will be understoodthat as soon as the cam 25n is caused to overcome the tension of thespring 27, the power applied to the bell crank lever to overcome thisinterruption in its movement is suddenly and abruptly directed againstthe plunger 31 forcing the latter against the clutch operating member35, which will cause the clutch mechanism to be quickly thrown intooperative position. The spring 30 accelerates the movement of the bellcrank lever after it has overcome the tension of the spring `27.

The switch jaws 1- and contact 5 are so proportioned as to present aclose fit between the parts in order that considerable force will berequired to move the latter inwardly between the jaws 4. Thus aninterval of time is obtained within which the starter motor is allowedto attain a speed to get the ily wheel under way or increased momentum.

Having thus described my invention what T claim as new herein and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. device of the character described, the combination of anelectrical switch, a clutch operating means, common means for closingthe switch and'subsequently actuate the clutch operating member `andmeans cooperatively associated with said first-mentioned means adaptedto impart a quick abrupt movement to the clutch operating member.

2. A device of the character described, the combination of an electricalswitch, a clutch operating means, a common means for closing the switchand `operating the clutch operating means, means coperating therewithfor imparting a sudden or abrupt force to actuate the clutch operatingmeans, and means for automatically opening the switch and retracting toinitial inoperative position the clutch operating member.

3. The combination of a switch mechanism, a clutch operating member,common means for operating the switch mechanism and the clutch operatingmember, means for impeding the operation ofthe common operating means soas to apply an abrupt and sudden force to move the clutch operatingmember.

4. A switch mechanism, an operating member yieldably connectedtherewith, a clutch operating member adapted to be operated by theoperating member, a trigger mechanism interposed between the switchmechanism, and the clutch operating member, whereby the clutch operatingmember may be suddenly and rapidly moved after the switch mechanism hasbeen operated.

5. The combination of a switch comprising stationary and movablecontacts, automatic means for normally retaining an open position of theswitch, a bell crank lever having a yielding connection with the movablecontact, a clutch operating plunger adapted to be engaged by the bellcrank lever after the switch has been closed, means for impeding themovement of the bell crank lever, and releasing the same to actuate theclutch operating member.

In witness whereoi:l I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses this 31 day of July, 1913.

, EDWARD V. HARTFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

